t first glance the Parker "35" looks very much like the Parker "75" and has also sometimes been called the "Baby 75", although the features, sans the size and nib, are actually more similar to the Parker "180". The Parker "35" was a pen with an open nib introduced in 1979 as a smaller (about 125 millimeters) and lower priced second cousin to the Parker "75" and Parker "180", sharing many finishes. It does not however, like the Parker "85" and Premier, clearly belong to the Parker "75" core family since few parts are interchangeable.

The Parker "35" was produced in Meru, France and was aimed at the European market. It was offered as a fountain pen, pencil, fibre tip and ball pen. The fountain pens had a smooth tassie, tapered the "wrong way", a bit wider on the bottom (as on the Parker "180") while the ball pens were of the shape and size of the Parker "75", including the bottom stacked coin tassie. These "winged" tassies were actually designed to "hook" in the cap when it was posted on the back, to prevent the pen body from scratches while writing.

arker "35" had a black, plastic section and a combed ink feed, smaller, very similar, but not identical, to the one on the Parker "75". The Parker "35" section was rounded and smooth, while the Parker "75" (Mark I) was ribbed and of a more triangular shape. The tassies were thinner than those on the Parker "75" and the tassie on the Flighter models even thinner still, really only a button. The Parker "35" had a medium sized smooth cap band with the lettering "Parker Made in France". Cap, clip and clip screw (also of the stacked coin design), were very similar to the Parker "180". The nib was marked Parker 750k (denoting 18k gold) and also had the French diamond shaped Parker logo. There was a thin gold band between section and body, again like on the Parker "180".

It was initially offered in five laquer finishes, the same as offered in the first Parker "180" line-up.

In his book "Fountainpens of the world" Andreas Lambrou repeats the colours advertised in France with food references.

he first year pens, like on the Parker "180", were marked on the cap (close to the lip and opposing the clip) with chinese characters that are pronounced "Pah Kuh", which of course translates "Parker" in Chinese. The cap lip also had the additional letters "Laque".

When the Laque Collection was discontinued in 1983 Parker "35" was offered in a variety of beautiful metal finishes also seen in the Parker "180" line and most in the Parker "75" line.

ll Parker "35" are hard to find in the US. The metal pens are very collectible, especially the Guirlande finishes, a very attractive pattern introduced on the 1979 Parker "180" and also found on some rarer Parker "75". Some pens have been found with Titanium nibs.

The easiest way to spot a Parker "35" from a Parker "75" is that the cap slids over the body, while both the Parker "75" and Parker "180" have the caps flush with the body.

The Parker "35" was discontinued with the Parker "180" in 1986.